Four more oil workers kidnapped

2006-08-15 08:27

Ade Obisesan

Lagos - Armed men on Monday kidnapped four more foreign oil workers in Nigeria's southern oil city of Port Harcourt, but released three Filipinos abducted more than 10 days ago in the latest of a series of incidents in volatile Niger Delta.

River State police spokesperson Ireju Barasua said: "The four oil workers were kidnapped in the early hours of today. The situation is becoming worrisome. We need prayers because what is happening now could also affect our Nigerian brothers."

She said only two - a Briton and an American - of the four oil workers could yet be identified.

She said: "We are definitely working hard to ensure their release", but after she was reminded that seven other foreign oil workers were still being held, she went mute.

3 Filipino oil workers freed

Ireland's foreign ministry said later that an Irishman was among the four workers. The man had been named by RTE state radio as Brian Fogarty, an employee of the United States oil services company, Halliburton.

Fogarty's father, Desmond, said he was abducted by armed men from a Port Harcourt bar. The foreign ministry said the Irish embassy in Nigeria was providing assistance to Fogarty's family.

A source close to the embassy said that officials of the US embassy in Nigeria on Monday discussed the fastest ways to secure the release of their citizen.

News of the latest kidnappings followed the release on the same day of three Filipino oil industry workers abducted by armed militants 10 days ago.

Foreign undersecretary Esteban Conejos said Cornelio Fallaria, Daniel Monteagudo and Alberto Torres were turned over to embassy officials on Monday morning.

The three were abducted on August 04 on Bonny Island, where they were working on a multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas project.

11 foreign oil workers kidnapped

Nigerian police spokesperson Haz Iwendi confirmed their release.

Port Harcourt was at the heart of Nigeria's multi-billion-dollar oil and gas industry, where many oil firms had their operational base.

The latest abductions took the number of foreign oil workers being held by militants in Niger Delta to 11, including two Norwegians, two Ukrainians, one German, one Belgian and one Moroccan.

One group, the previously unknown Movement for the Niger Delta People (MONDP), said it was holding a German against the release of two local leaders standing trial for corruption.

MONDP said he was being held to demand the release of two Niger Delta leaders, former Bayelsa State governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and regional warlord Mujahid Dokubo-Asari.

The two men were standing trial for corruption and treasonable felony in Abuja. No claims of responsibility had been made for the other 10 foreigners.

It was reported late Monday that a Belgian and a Moroccan oil worker had been released, citing their employer, Dredging International.

- AFP